After breaking up, my ex asked me to win her back

The incident began with an accident.

It really was just an accident, Ayakoji Chiyoko could confirm that much. It wasn't orchestrated by anyone, and it certainly wasn't intentional.

She had entered the courtyard chasing a cat.

The plump, orange stray cat had snatched her handkerchief while she was washing her hands—that had been a gift from her stepmother, and Ayakoji Chiyoko didn't want to lose it just like that.

When she caught the cat in the tree in the courtyard, she just happened to see Sakata Asahi, and Kagura Hikaru who had followed him there.

She decided to eavesdrop till the end after hearing the words from behind the tree, "Chiyoko used to attend the same elementary school as us, Yoshou Elementary School."

Kagura Hikaru, this person, should never have been associated with the phrase 'Yoshou Elementary School.'

In Ayakoji Chiyoko's memory, he was an unrelated character.

But this understanding was wrong.

[You indeed don't remember, otherwise your relationship with her wouldn't be like it is now.]

[The reason why Hina and Chiyoko are like this now, it's all because of you!]

That's what Sakata Asahi said.

Such a sure tone, it was enough to let one know she held some degree of the truth.

This was content Sakata Asahi had never shared with her before.

After they parted, Ayakoji Chiyoko beat her to it, blocking her at the school gate and prying the truth from her mouth.

Kagura Hikaru was the person she had been looking for, and was that name really uttered by Kiryu Hina?

At the time, Ayakoji Chiyoko didn't believe it.

It wasn't because there was something wrong with Kagura Hikaru, but because she knew Kiryu Hina.

A year ago, when they met at Yuqiu High School, Ayakoji Chiyoko had once inquired about the boy from elementary school who had saved her. Her relationship with Kiryu Hina was already somewhat strained due to her stepmother's affair, but they truly became 'arch-enemies' after the latter clearly knew who the boy was but stubbornly refused to reveal it.

Ayakoji Chiyoko kept looking for trouble with her, also to grab something on Kiryu Hina that could be used as a bargaining chip to exchange for that boy's identity information.

The boy from elementary school who had defended her was the sole fixation of Ayakoji Chiyoko's life up to that point.

He was injured and hospitalized because he was helping her, yet she knew nothing at the time, even naively accepting the friendship of Kiryu Hina and Sakata Asahi, continuing such ignorance until graduation.

Kiryu Hina's deliberate concealment turned her into a girl who was ungrateful and lacked loyalty.

This was something Ayakoji Chiyoko could not tolerate.

She wanted to find that boy from the past, make amends, thank him in person for what he did, and talk about how much she had changed because of that incident over the years. Continue your adventure at empire

If they got along, they could perhaps even become friends.

If it were that person, even the mental shackles Ayakoji Chiyoko had against making friends could be broken.

He was that important to her.

Over the years, Ayakoji Chiyoko had always been using the image of him as a benchmark for self-improvement.

Whether it was the spirit of golden justice, the strong physique that could withstand all difficulties, or the curiosity to delve into the root of any matter, all of it was inspired by him.

He was her life's goal, as well as the beacon that ensured Ayakoji Chiyoko did not stray off her path.

For so long, this was the only clue Ayakoji Chiyoko had gotten.

Even knowing full well that Kiryu Hina's words were dubious at best, she had to verify them.

And somewhere in her heart, there was a voice whispering.

—If only Kagura Hikaru were really that person.

"I should be going now, there's something I need to confirm. You're probably going to meet up with Kiryu Hina next, right?"

"Yeah...."

"Well then, I wish you a pleasant time, goodbye."

"Wait, Chiyoko!" Sakata Asahi urgently grasped her, "I really think it would be better for you to stay away from that guy; he's too dangerous!"

"Dangerous? Are you talking about Kagura Hikaru?" Ayakoji Chiyoko smirked, finding it amusing, "That guy is a harmless creature."

"I'm not joking with you." Sakata Asahi looked dead serious, "The person is of questionable character; he might have sinister thoughts if he knows you owe him."

"So what, you're doing this for me?"

"Of course, we're friends, aren't we? I can't just watch you fall into a pit."

".....If you consider yourself my friend, then mind your own business. Who I associate with has nothing to do with you. Also, I'm not new to Kagura Hikaru; I don't need you to remind me of what kind of person he is."

Ayakoji Chiyoko snatched her arm back fiercely, looking at her coldly, "If I hear you slandering him behind his back again or gossiping with others, I won't let you off."

With that, she turned and walked out of the school gates.

Left behind, Sakata Asahi stood like she had been sharply slapped across the face, dazed and unable to recover for a long time.

..........

That very afternoon, after getting a lead, Ayakoji Chiyoko set out to confirm Kagura Hikaru's identity.

The archival records from Yoshou Elementary School had vanished due to the school closing, and this was why Ayakoji Chiyoko had been unable to find the person previously.

But even if the records were no longer available, there should be many who remembered the boy who was pushed down the stairs.

Such as the students at the time and the teachers.

When she returned to Tokyo after finishing middle school in Capital City, Ayakoji Chiyoko had begun an investigation, spending time visiting her former elementary classmates, even including the bullies who had tormented her.

The result was, apart from confirming that those bullies were now faring poorly, absolutely nothing was gained.

Not a single person remembered the boy's name or face.

On the contrary, there were more who remembered Ayakoji Chiyoko's name.

And yet he was the biggest victim!

Considering everyone was just an elementary student at the time, and quite young, it was understandable that they couldn't remember clearly.

So Ayakoji Chiyoko went to the teacher who was in charge of their class at the time, only to find the outcome was the same; they remembered the incident, but not the name of the person in question.

People encounter so much information every day that very few make a conscious effort to recall details of incidents from many years ago.

Moreover, such incidents are not rare; forget about the child who was pushed down the stairs in the past, even if a student fell from the rooftop, after a few years, other than his close friends and family, who would remember?

When Ayakoji Chiyoko went to see them, most teachers thought she was a nuisance and wanted to send her away quickly, giving her perfunctory attitudes.

But among those people, only one truly showed care about that incident from years ago.

That was the homeroom teacher responsible for the fourth grade in elementary school, Teacher Chi Wei, who was in charge of Ayakoji Chiyoko's class back then.

If it were her, maybe she could identify Kagura Hikaru.

With this thought, Ayakoji Chiyoko went to visit her.